How to turn people off your home

Selling up? In this volatile housing market, small changes can make a big difference to the saleability of your home. To maximise buyer interest in your property, here are a few things to avoid:

Clutter

Forget letting your home feel ‘lived in’. Tidy, open rooms help buyers mentally fill the space with their own belongings. Put away, get rid of, or put into store anything that could be seen as clutter or mess.

Family photos

Leave your home too personalised and buyers won’t be able to see themselves living there. Keep visible family photos and other personalised items to a minimum.

Keeping everything in its place

Your current home layout may be functional, but opening up the space will increase buyer interest. Achieve this by:

Pushing furniture back to the walls

Reducing the number of visible chairs and coffee tables

Swapping out your flat screen for a smaller model

Putting up some mirrors, especially in the hallway

Dodgy DIY

DIY done right may save a bundle on labour costs, but make a mess and you risk putting buyers off. If in doubt, hire a professional.

Out-pricing your street

There are lots of great ways to increase the value of your home. But far outpace the value of your neighbours’ properties and yours will be seen as too expensive for the area.